The subject matter described and/or illustrated herein relates generally to a power connector having a pair of contact springs that oppose each other with a receiving space therebetween.
In some electrical systems, power is delivered to a circuit board or other electrical component through a busbar and a power connector. A busbar typically comprises a planar body of conductive material (e.g., copper) having opposite sides that are configured to be engaged by the power connector. To this end, existing power connectors include a pair of contact springs that oppose each other with a receiving space therebetween. The busbar is configured to be inserted into the receiving space. As the busbar is inserted, the contact springs engage the busbar and are deflected away from each other by the busbar. When the power connector and the busbar are operatively coupled, each of the contact springs is biased against one of the sides of the busbar.
The contact springs of conventional power connectors are typically formed from a common piece of conductive sheet material (e.g., copper), which is hereinafter referred to as a “contact blank.” The contact blank may be stamped from a larger piece of sheet material. The contact blank includes the contact springs and a joint portion that joins the contact springs. The contact blank is folded along the joint portion so that the two contact springs are properly positioned with the receiving space therebetween.
However, contact springs that are shaped from the same contact blank may have certain limitations. In some instances, the method of manufacturing the contact springs from a common contact blank may be relatively costly. For example, due to the dimensions of the contact blank, it may be difficult to selectively plate the contact springs using a strip-plating process. Consequently, the process that is used to plate the contact springs may apply an excessive amount of plating material (e.g., silver). In addition, the dimensions of the contact blanks may not be suitable for a manufacturing process known as reel-to-reel processing. In reel-to-reel processing, a sheet that includes the stamped contact blanks is reeled from a payoff reel to a take-up reel. While moving between the reels, the stamped blanks may undergo a number of modifications for shaping and plating the contact springs. Processes that use reeling may be less costly and time-consuming than manufacturing processes that do not use reeling. Contact springs that are formed from a common contact blank, however, may not be suitable for reel-to-reel processing.
Accordingly, a need exists for contact springs that may be used in power connectors and that may be manufactured through less expensive methods than conventional contact springs that are formed from a common contact blank.